Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong and a Belgium representative signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to help build a greater
international presence for Madison County organizations.

Strong and Dr. Philippe Lachapelle, Director of Business Development, Partnerships, Research, and Innovation for the Wallonia Foreign Trade and Investment
Agency (AWEX) in Belgium, signed the MOU on the campus of The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH).

The Madison County Commission, UAH, and the North Alabama International Trade Association have partnered to establish a presence in Europe to identify
research and business opportunities for our region in the global marketplace.

The alliance with AWEX and the Open Worldwide Innovation Network (OWIN) headquartered in Brussels, Belgium - a partnership of aerospace (Skywin) and
biotechnology (Biowin) clusters, academic and research centers, and government agencies in Europe, North America, and Asia - will assist companies in
finding new markets and opportunities for collaborative research and commercialization.